Day 4 of the WTA 250 in Brisbane will see the overdue debut of World #6 Jessica Pegula as she squares up against a familiar foe, Anna Kalinskaya. Several other matches are also billed for the day, but we examine four in this piece and offer our predictions on who will make it to the next round.
WTA Brisbane Day 4 Predictions
Liudmila Samsonova vs Emerson Jones
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
Liudmila Samsonova comes into this encounter with far more WTA Tour experience and a significantly higher ranking than the Australian teenager. Samsonova has built her reputation on big‑hitting baseline tennis and success deep in hard‑court events, while Jones has been making waves as a promising young Australian, most recently showcasing her potential with a straight‑sets win over Tatjana Maria in the first round on home soil.
Samsonova is the superior player in this one, and despite Jones’s recent form and home crowd support, she would require a standout performance from the teenager to overcome Samsonova’s firepower.
Prediction: Samsonova in 3
Linda Noskova vs Magdalena Frech
Head–to–Head: Noskova 1 – 0 Frech
Magdalena Frech can be a capable competitor on her day, but her record against top opponents has mainly been inconsistent. Their most recent meeting in Abu Dhabi last year ended in a straight-set drubbing by the Czech player, and it should be the same outcome in Brisbane. Noskova has the edge in this one.
Prediction: Noskova in 2
Leylah Fernandez vs Dayana Yastremska
Head–to–Head: Fernandez 2 – 1 Yastremska
Dayana Yastremska should count herself lucky to still be in Brisbane after managing to win 7-6 7-6 against Talia Gibson despite the Australian serving for each set. It is her first main draw win here in four attempts, and she can draw some inspiration from it as she faces Leylah Fernandez, who has not often fared well in Australia. Expect this one to go the wire with the more reliable Canadian coming out on top.
Prediction: Fernandez in 3
Jessica Pegula vs Anna Kalinskaya
Head–to–Head: Pegula 3 – 1 Kalinskaya
While Jessica Pegula has shown consistency at the top of the WTA Tour, winning a title Down Under has remained elusive for the American. She makes her long-overdue debut in Brisbane against Anna Kalinskaya, who struggled throughout the first half of last season but managed to close it with some deep runs during the North American swing.
The pair have met four times, with the American winning both hard court encounters. Interestingly, all their matches have gone the distance, and this looks like it will too. However, look for the more experienced Pegula to navigate a win in her Brisbane debut.
Prediction: Pegula in 3
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images